County schools to discuss policies, codes, discipline

The Oktibbeha County School District’s leadership will discuss school district codes, policies, discipline and other items at the district’s regular monthly meeting at noon Tuesday in the district’s offices.
At the last monthly meeting, OCSD Conservator Jayne Sargent set the district’s goals, motto, mission statement and vision statement. She also made plans to reveal more specific methods of achieving these aims at a later date, disseminating this information through handouts for parents in the schools.

“It gives us direction,” Sargent said at the previous meeting. “We have been struggling somewhat to date, but I didn’t want it to be — and I didn’t want it to appear to be — my goals, but rather those of the district.”

Calls to Sargent for comment on the agenda after its release on Friday went unanswered. The bulk of the agenda’s items are listed on its consent agenda, one of which is approval of OCSD codes, policies and discipline referral forms.

Approval of land management service recommendations by OCSD 16th section land manager Mike Ainsworth is also on the agenda. At the last meeting, Sargent signed a lease agreement with John Barnett and Rick Stansbury for the OCSD’s portion of the Oktibbeha County Lake and Campgrounds.
“It’s good for the district, but it’s (also) good for the community and the children,” Sargent said in November. “We’re anxious to serve the whole community (through the lake).”

Assistant Superintendent Gale Shumaker is also slated to give a presentation on applying for a rural and low-income schools program, but that presentation is also on the consent agenda. Other consent agenda items include a proposal for services, forestry recommendations, approval of the claims docket, a budget status statement and a statement of fund balances.

Finally, there are three personnel items on the consent agenda: a request related to the Family and Medical Leave Act, a request to employ new personnel and a letter of retirement.